Talking About Nothing
by WhizGidget
Summary: Solely a dialogue - in response to a challenge on the forum here *complete*


Title: Talking About Nothing

Disclaimer: All characters contained herein are the property of Warner Brothers Television Productions and Shoot The Moon Productions.I just want to borrow them to play a little. 

Author: WhizGidget

Written: February 10, 2001

Rating: G

Timing and Assumptions: Any time after the engagement, before the wedding.Oh, this is a story solely done in dialogue in answer to a challenge. 

Comments?Love 'em.Good and Bad.That way I know what I did right and wrong.Flames?We're having a cold spell here in California, so I could use a good fire… 

* * *

"Amanda?"

"Hmm…."

"You know, I was thinking.Maybe we shouldn't hide anymore."

"I thought you wanted to protect us."

"I did.No.I do."

"Then why the change of mind?"

"I want to be able to tell the world about us.I don't want to hide anymore.Our work is all about keeping secrets… this isn't a secret that I want to keep."

"I don't want to keep it either, but this is important! – wait…"

"Hi, Billy"

"Hello, sir. How are you today?"

"Fine, Amanda, and yourself?"

"Very good, thank you."

"What can we do for you, Billy?"

"Did I interrupt something?I thought I heard you two talking."

"No, it was nothing."

"That's right, nothing important, sir."

"Nothing. Important."

"That's right."

"Yup."

"Yup…. Ok.Listen up, you two… we've got word that "Hibernation" has been activated, and that one of the ranking officers in the KGB is the reason it's up.Apparently, he's disappeared.Supposedly, **allegedly**, he's rumored to be heading for the United States.To defect." 

"Why would he want to do that, sir?"

"Because he's heard the same things we have.That the Iron Curtain is starting to wave in the wind.Because he wants to play for the side that knows where they stand before the shooting starts."

"So why Hibernation, Billy?"

"He's also taken his secretary with him."

"So?"

"She's supposedly, **allegedly**, his lover."

"And so?"

"So, if he left her behind, she would most certainly be in danger.Possibly tortured for his destination whether she knew it or not, but definitely in danger of losing her life… Amanda are you ok?"

"Yes, sir."

"You look a little pale, Amanda, are you sure you're ok?"

"Mr. Melrose, sir, Lee, I'm fine.Are you sure she would be in danger had he left her behind?"

"Certain.All the bulletins are out for her.She's not as well trained as he is.It will be hard for him to move around while protecting her.And if she is found, then his weak spot is compromised." 

"What will happen if they catch them?"

"Possibly dragged back to Russia.Possibly executed."

"Sir.That's awful."

"That's life, Amanda.Billy, what does this have to do with us?"

"Just an FYI.Listen, nothing's going on other than this, and right now, we're not involved because he hasn't hit our soil, and our security or contacts aren't compromised.Take a extra day off tomorrow, and don't worry about it if you cut out today."

"Thanks, Billy."

"Thank you, Sir."

"No problem.You can get back to your important discussion."

"What?"

"You know, Lee… that important nothing that you and Amanda were discussing.See you later."

"He drives me up a wall sometimes."

"Do you think he knows?"

"Knows what?"

"About us?"

"Doubt it.We've been pretty careful around The Agency to be business as usual."

"I know, but I wonder…"

"Amanda, he doesn't know.No one knows.And that's the problem.I don't want to sneak around to have dinner, and make up excuses about what we do at night, and I want to go anywhere in the city and not have to worry about being spotted by someone we know who will spread rumors around the office about-"

"About what?"

"Oh. Francine, what can we do for you?"

"Hello, Amanda, I just wanted to drop off these files.Rumors about what?"

"What rumors?"

"Lee, I clearly heard you say something about spreading rumors around the office about something, and I wondered what it was.So what rumors are you talking about?"

"uh… The one that has Effram asking you out for dinner at L'Etoile, of course."

"Really… the last time that rumor went around was three years ago Christmas and he was drunk."

"Well, he's sober now… and serious."

"Francine, listen, Effram is really nice, and he really does like you a lot.Maybe you should give him a chance."

"Really, Amanda.You are so… so you.I'll just let you two get back to what you were talking about… which was…?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?Really… Hm."

"Someone should put a muzzle on her."

"Amanda!"

"Well, it's true."

"What if she'd heard you?"

"Well, then she'll get me back somehow, sometime.Like she always does.Now can we get back to our original conversation?"

"What original conversation?"

"Lee.You know what we were talking about."

"Yeah.Nothing."

"Lee… what about that Russian agent and his girlfriend.Would they really use her to get to him?"

"Amanda, you know as well as I do that nothing's sacred in this job.Some will use whoever they can get our hands on to get to the people they want.And if they're family, or if they're emotionally involved, all the better."

"Ugh."

"What? You look pale.Are you ok?"

"I just remembered Birol.You're right.That poor woman."

"They don't have them yet.And they may never.She may have some good instincts and they could hide for years.We could have."

"But we would have been lonely.Your friends and 'family'.My boys.It would have been lonely. They're probably feeling really lonely right about now."

"Perhaps."

"Hm."

"Amanda, how did we get so far off the subject?"

"What subject?"

"The two of us.Not hiding anymore." 

"Oh, I don't know.Too many interruptions, I guess."

"Let's get out of here and stop the interruptions.Billy did give us a long weekend."

"Hmmm."

"What?"

"Oh, nothing."

"Nothing, huh?"

"Yup."

"So when are we going to finish this conversation?" 

"What conversation?" 

"Amanda.Us.No secrets-"

"We don't keep any secrets from each other."

"That's not what we were talking about, and you know it."

"I know.But I just keep thinking about those two on the run, and-"

"Amanda, we're targets for each other already because we're partners.Partners are involved in this business up to their eyeballs in each other's lives.That's just the way it is.I just as easily could be a target to get to you.And that's why-"

"Why we shouldn't advertise this.Why we should keep it a secret-"

"Why I can't ever tell anyone that the reason I go home, alone, every night to my bachelor's apartment is that I'm in love with my partner, who's one of the most incredible people I have ever met."

"Oh Lee, that's so sweet."

"And frustrating."

"I know.My mother thinks I'm involved, she's dying to know who with, but she keep trying to set me up with single men she meets in the supermarket.One of these days she's going to invite one of them home for dinner, and there won't be any way around it."

"I know."

"So where do we go from here?"

"I don't know.Cross that bridge when we find it?"

"And until we find the bridge?"

"What else?Enjoy a long weekend with nothing to talk about…"

* * *


End file.
